Bangkok Airways set to resume domestic flight operations

Published on : Monday, May 18, 2020

Bangkok Airways recently decided to reopen domestic flights in a phased manner, commencing this week. The announcement arrives following the end of Thailand’s flight ban as more airlines plan to resume activities in the sky. The airline already resumed its Bangkok-Samui route towards the end of last week. It will now fly to four more destinations starting June 1.

As Thailand witness a decreasing graph of positive coronavirus cases, airlines look forward to resuming operations. The Thai government has already given permission to operate limited domestic routes and approved 32 domestic routes for the month of May. Carriers such as Nok Air, Thai AirAsia, Thai Vietjet, and Thai Lion Air have all resumed flights alongside Bangkok Airways. However, all airlines have been advised to follow strict safety measures provided by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) after resuming operations.

Bangkok Airways have been permitted to sell 49 out of its 70-seat ATR 72s. The same aircraft is being used on the Bangkok-Samui route at present. The use of face masks has been made mandatory for all passengers. No in-flight meal will be provided in flights and carriers have been asked to keep one empty seat between passengers. Airlines across the country are also not allowed to hike ticket prices to compensate for the reduced seats. Flights longer than 90 minutes have also been advised to leave the last two rows empty in order to isolate any symptomatic passengers.

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, most airlines suspended domestic routes for a month due to a huge plunge in travel and passenger traffic demand. Though the resumption of domestic flights is a positive sign, the return of travel demands continues to remain uncertain. Bangkok Airways’ limited route map will help it ensure to maintain profitable routes while staying away from others. The international flight ban will continue to remain in force until the end of June to prevent imported COVID-19 cases.